INTERACTIVITY IN
MULTIMEDIA APPLICATION
Multimedia has progressed beyond simply editing images
and videos. It has advanced to allow users to interact with it in the form of
mobile apps, games and so on and thus giving the user a more personal feel.
So what is “Interactivity”?
Webster defines interactivity as,
“designed to respond to the actions,
commands, etc., of a user”
(www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interactive)
“Multimedia”, as defined by Webster is,
“a
technique (as the combining of sound, video, and text) for expressing ideas (as
in communication, entertainment, or art) in which several media are employed”
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So what happens when we combine the two?
Mishra and Sharma (2005, p. 116) quote Phillips (1997)
who said:
“The
term ‘interactive multimedia’ is a
catch-all phrase to describe the new wave of computer software that primarily
deals with the provision of information. The ‘multimedia’ component is
characterized by the presence of text, pictures, sound, animation and video;
some or all of which are organized into some coherent program. The
‘interactive’ component refers to the process of empowering the user to control
the environment usually by a computer”
(Sanjaya
Mishra , Ramesh C. Sharma, p. 116)
From these definitions we understand that
interactivity requires users to be more involved with the running of
applications and programs. Interactive multimedia can be found on a variety of
platforms such as computers/laptops, mobile phones and tablet devices, gaming
consoles and is widely used on the internet for many websites. The complexity
of the interaction can vary from very simple (e.g. 2D games such as Super Mario
which has basic movement controls or Kiosks which have basic input requirements)
or extremely complex(e.g. 3D game environments using arrow keys or joystick for
movement or adjusting camera angles). Such interactivity, combined with
stunning visuals, animations and sound effects, will give users an enjoyable
and rich experience.
However, interactivity is not limited to
entertainment. It is also widely used for educational purposes, where
interactive educational software’s are developed to help users learn and
understand various topics. For example Math and Language tutoring softwares
require users to give feedback such as answers to calculations or to repeat
sentences in order to proceed.
[In
order to keep the user interacted there are many elements to consider such as]
issues related to planning, designing and development of the interactive
multimedia in a persuasive tone and style.
(Sanjaya Mishra, Ramesh C. Sharma, p. 115)
In order to better understand the application of
Interactive Multimedia, we can look at it from a point of view of a few
different platforms below:
1.
Educational
Software
2.
Mobile,
computer and console games
3.
Web pages and
applications
4.
Services and
Kiosk Stations
Educational
Software
“..63 percent of institutions
surveyed said that online learning was an essential part of their future
strategy;”
(www.academicpartnerships.com/docs/default-document-library/white-paper-final-9-22-2011-(1).pdf?sfvrsn=0)
Interactive educational software is fast becoming a
popular concept in many educational institutions. Hence, institutions want to
improve their teaching methods by offering students rich interactive
environments and eye-catching interfaces. With the introduction of interactive
learning software, distance learning has become more effective. Interactive educational
software allows for students to adopt experimental learning methods that
enhance their learning experience, making it seem as though they were right
there in the classroom, conducting the experiment.
In order to further enhance the interactive experience,
a range of multimedia sources are utilized in the process; from video’s, to
sound effects, to the attractively designed buttons on the user interface.
These multimedia elements are important in keeping users attention on the
program/application and to avoid boring them.
Simple programs, such as those for children, utilize
bright colours, funny characters and jingles and so on to keep kids interested. Interactivity
is kept at minimum, where a single click can activate multiple actions. This helps
to avoid confusing kids and concentrate on keeping them entertained
More complex programs such as 3D software and simulative programs, encompass a higher level of interactivity. The interactivity is virtually open-ended, and users have the freedom to choose outcomes. Interfaces are kept minimal and clean and clear which helps the user to stay focused on how they interact with the program.
Mobile,
Computer and Console Games
Interactivity is probably most widely used in the
gaming industry. The level of interactivity is very high as users are often
given the choice to decide how the game proceeds. Each platform, as shown above, has its own
particular method of interactivity control.
PlayStation (console
platform) is well known for its dual shock analog controller that include
multiple buttons that allow the user to execute various actions and analog
sticks that allow for easy character movement and camera angle control.
Ever since the introduction of the Smart Phone (mobile platform), gaming on mobile and
tablet devices has become very popular. The interactivity is different than
that of any other platform, as it mostly involves touch input. Touch input allows for a high level of interactivity
and some games even account for multiple touch input, where users can interact
with different elements on the screen simultaneously A few examples of touch
input interactivity is when users pinch two fingers on the screen to zoom in
and out, or rotate two fingers to adjust camera angles or rotate an image.
Another popular method of interaction on mobile and
tablet devices are gyroscopic and accelerometer controls where the applications
are interacted in relation to the movement of the device. Such as turning the
device left or right to turn a car in a driving game
Before console and mobile gaming existed, the Personal Computer was used to play
games. It was the most popular platform at the time and still plays a large
role in the creation of the games for all other platforms. PC gaming has a
variety of methods that the user can interact with the game.
The most commonly used are the keyboard, the mouse and
the joystick. The direction keys on a keyboard are used to control the
character and the mouse is used for camera movement and aiming. Using these,
users can interact with different elements within the game. With a click of the
mouse button, a gun is fired. By tapping the spacebar the user makes the
character jump. There are so many ways for the user to interact with the game
making the interactivity “open-ended”.
Web
pages and applications
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With the internet speeds of this age, web developers and programmers are able to make websites interactive as well. With the use of HTML, CSS and JavaScript and so on, developers create websites with multiple interaction options for users to choose from. Users can type in search boxes and click on the option they prefer. They can roll the mouse wheel to scroll up and down pages.
Another popular instance of
interactive web apps is online games. Here users have the same experience as
playing a game on the computer and experience the visuals and sounds that
multimedia has to offer combined with interactivity. The only difference is
that the game is now uploaded on the world wide web, and is thus accessible by
many other users. Due to this reason, web applications grew popular within a
short period of time.
“Over the recent years, web has become the most
important platform for delivering and running applications. With the ubiquitous
web, these applications are easily accessible regardless of place and time and
without any installation requirements, end users have begun to favor web applications
over traditional desktop applications.”
(https://www.usenix.org/legacy/event/webapps11/tech/final_files/Kuuskeri.pdf)
The only drawback is that it
requires a working internet connection, and if the speed of the connection is
too slow, gameplay maybe affected. Therefore developers keep the interactivity
on online games much lower and simple, and so users would not need to use large
amounts of data to play the game.
Services
and Kiosk Stations
Another good example of interactive systems that we
use regularly, are ATM’s and other kiosk stations. These can either be touch
interactive or require the use of buttons. They have a basic level of
interactivity and also have simpler multimedia elements, which include text,
video with sound, and the occasional sound effect during the process. At an ATM
a user is required to input a card and pin details and cash is returned. Thus
we can see that interactivity is kept at a minimum and visual elements are kept
clean, clear and minimal so that users do not waste time at the machine
From all the above we can see how interactivity and
multimedia play a co-operative role in many of the devices we use on a daily
basis. The combination of the two, create an attractive and richer environment
for all users to experience by touch, sight and sound. Interactive multimedia
is still growing to meet user demands and much more advanced systems will be
developed with the help of those two key elements in the near future.
References
Sanjaya Mishra and Ramesh C. Sharma, 2005, Interactive Multimedia in Education and
Training, Idea Group Publishing, India
www.academicpartnerships.com/docs/default-document-library/white-paper-final-9-22-2011-(1).pdf?sfvrsn=0
https://www.usenix.org/legacy/event/webapps11/tech/final_files/Kuuskeri.pdf
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